All-Electric Coda Sedan Hitting CA In 2010: $45K

With the classic automakers struggling to make ends meet in America,
it's clear that the time has come for a new regime to usher in a new
wave of automobiles. With companies such as Tesla and Lightning doing
their best to produce affordable, reliable electric cards, neither has
actually shown an ability to craft a vehicle that the layperson could
afford. Coda Automotive, however, is hoping to add a real option at the
lower-end in the electric car space.

Introduced this week, the
simply named Coda -- a four door, five passenger sedan with an
all-electric drive train -- has been pegged with a 2010 ship date in
California. The car was originally designed by one Miles Rubin, and
he's remaining an integral part of the launch. Unfortunately, it seems
as if the Coda will be restricted for sale in CA for the near term,
though if business hits big, we can't imagine the company not expanding
its reach.

The electric family car includes enough battery power
to travel between 90 and 120 miles on a full charge, and it can regain
40 miles of range with just two hours of charging. It supports energy
from any 110 or 220V socket, and a full charge (from 0% to 100%) can be
accomplished in as little as six hours. Kevin Czinger, President and
CEO, Coda Automotive, had this to say: "The Coda sedan is an
all-electric vehicle for everyone. It's a practical revolution for real
drivers who need reliable transportation."

The cost of the car
is expected to be around $45,000, but the actual cost of ownership will
dip much lower after a $7,500 federal credit along with other
incentives. Coda Automotive estimates that it will cost less than $3
(on average) to drive 100 miles, whereas a comparable gas-powered sedan
would eat up around $17 in fuel costs to drive that same distance.
Amenities are everywhere as well, with the factory list of equipment
including navigation, Bluetooth, AM/FM/XM radio, USB connectivity and aluminum wheels. The car's even backed by a 3-year, 36,000 mile
warranty. So, who's moving to California?